Archive for December, 2010

「VOCALO Revolution」 is a new TV program that is dedicated to presenting the cultural aspect of Vocaloid and its impact in the music scene. It will include interviews with the creators of the software, music producers, and their fans. The show will also take a look at some of the latest Vocaloid PVs from your favorite virtual idols.

Earlier today, the official website for 「VOCALO Revolution」 revealed the design of its own original character named CUL — who will be using the VY1 voicebank. CUL will be singing the program’s ending theme, 「CUL makes Revolution!」. The song features music by 164 with lyrics by hirotoP. An MMD video for the ending, produced by masatakaP, has already been released to the public. You can check out the video below.

Have an Xbox? Have Kinect? Have a computer w/ MikuMikuDance? Then you’re all set to start moving and have Miku follow your lead! Read on to see what has recently developed in the MMD world.

Higuchi Yū (user higuchuu on YouTube) posted a test video showing off the latest development in his program, which allows users to use Xbox’s Kinect add-on to capture their movements and have it interpreted as Motion Data for the MMD model.

Using his new driver, Higuchi posted the following video showing his first test on December 13th, which only followed the upper body’s movements.

On December 19th he uploaded his second test video, which showed off the full-body motion capture and announced the full download of the new driver on his website.

Also, in November the Japanese section of the graphics processor maker Nvidia announced that MMD had the new ability to support Nvidia’s 3D Vision setups for stereoscopic 3D videos. A video made by Higuchi himself was posted demonstrating the 3D ability; please note that Higuchi’s video uses the setup for the red/blue glasses, while Nvidia’s default setup uses liquid-crystal shutter glasses.

You can grab MMD for download over the the English MMD site. If you plan to use the Kinect setup, then you need to download the DirectX9 Ver. driver. And of course you can pick up an Xbox and the Kinect add-on at your local game, media, or online store.

Example Video :

YouTube user “Nao790” showcases the use of the Kinect Sensor to control a 3D model of virtual idol Hatsune Miku. (Microsoft sells the Kinect as a “controller-free” device for the Xbox 360 game console, but independent programmers have developed software that lets personal computers connect to the Kinect Sensor, too.) “Nao790” then uses the Vuzix iWear VR920, a head-mounted display, to see a virtual world through Miku’s own eyes.

Nendoroid Snow Miku [Snow Playtime Edition] will be sold at the Wonder Festival ‘WONDERFUL HOBBY LIFE YOU!! at the 62nd Sapporo Snow Festival, which will be held between 7 Feb 2011 till 13 Feb 2011. In addition, she will also be sold via GSC exclusive partner stores.